The union is your voice
in the workplace. The union can be instrumental in protecting your rights
as a woman and a worker, but the only way to ensure that your leaders
will represent you is by participating in the life of your union, speaking
out and organizing with other workers. It is by joining together and acting
collectively that workers become empowered and can challenge unfair or
discriminatory work or union practices.

Too often, the harassment
and disrespect that women face in many workplaces carries over into the
union, the organization that is supposed to be their defense against abuse
and injustice. It is not easy to take on your employer, union, and coworkers
at the same time. You may experience isolation and hostility. Women of
color, immigrant women, and lesbians may experience added discrimination
and harassment.

By getting together with
other women in the union, you can gain the support you need to survive
the stresses of activist life on the job and in the union. As part of
a rank and file committee or a womens committee or caucus, you can
overcome your individual powerlessness and fight effectively for equal
treatment and democratic control in your union...

It is not easy to be one of a few women
doing work that has traditionally been reserved for men. You may experience
isolation and hostility, not just from management, but even from some
of the men within your union who should be a source of support. The old
boys network may be very much alive in your union. Women of color and
lesbians may experience added discrimination and harassment. By getting
together with other women in the union, you can gain the support you need
to survive the stresses of life on the job. As part of a women's committee
or caucus, you can overcome your individual powerlessness and fight effectively
for equal treatment and responsive leadership in your union.

Working with Your
Sister Unionists

Finding and getting to know the other women
in your union, who are spread out at many different job sites, may not
be easy, but it is well worth the effort. You will meet women in apprenticeship
classes, at union meetings and on the job. If there is an advocacy or
support group for tradeswomen in your area, you can find out about sister
union members by attending their meetings. Supportive male co-workers
may be able to tell you about women they have met on previous jobs. Some
women have even been able to obtain information about other women from
the union's office staff (who often are women). Whenever possible, be
sure to take down the phone numbers and addresses of the women you meet
so you will be able to contact them again.

Despite the solidarity women workers often
feel with each other, you may have to overcome external or internal resistance
to getting together. If there is more than one woman on a job, men (bosses
or co-workers) may try to prevent you from talking to each other by "dyke-baiting".
Understandably, some of their tactics may intimidate many women, who fear
becoming further alienated from the men they must work with alone on a
daily basis. It will help in your organizing to be aware of how these
fears inhibit you and your union sisters, especially when you encounter
women who seem reluctant or uninterested in joining with other women.
Try to fight these barriers and reach out to other women on the job. The
camaraderie and support you will enjoy with other tradeswomen will help
you deal with any harassment directed at you.

Once you have found each other, you can try
to start meeting on a regular basis. You might want to begin by getting
together informally, after work or around union meetings. At first, you
may just be interested in exchanging experiences, sharing your knowledge
and giving each other the support you need to survive. For example, you
may talk about how to deal with degrading sexist remarks or harassment;
how to resist being used as a "go-fer" or being given the most
difficult, dangerous jobs; or how to get the training you need.

Forming a Women's
Committee or Caucus

Depending on your level of energy, interest
and commitment, you might want to organize a formal committee or caucus
to undertake education and political action for women in the union. A
women's committee or caucus in your union can serve the needs of women
members in many ways. It can help women take the first step toward union
activity by explaining how the union works and providing a supportive
environment in which to get involved. This will help increase the overall
participation of women in the union. It can:

educate women members as to their legal
rights on the job and as union members;

organize to defend and support women in
combatting discrimination and harassment on the job and in the union;

improve representation on the job through
use of the grievance machinery; and

encourage women to become stewards or to
run for office through leadership training and support.

However you proceed, discuss with the group
the question of including male co-workers. You do not want to isolate
yourselves and give the impression that this is an exclusive group which
bars men from participating (although you may want to maintain a female
majority). Form allies with male co-workers to show how your caucus or
committee can enhance working conditions for all workers. Point out the
issues that you can work on that are "gender neutral" and solicit
their encouragement and support. In any event, decisions should be made
by the group, not a few individuals.

You will have to decide whether you want to
become an official union committee or remain an independent caucus or
pressure group. There are benefits and drawbacks to both. As an official
union committee, you may receive financial and organizational support
making it easier to reach out to and interest more women in your activities.
You may be able to get the names and addresses of all female union members,
meet in the union hall, make reports at union meetings, post announcements
on union bulletin boards, and publish articles in the union newspaper.
On the other hand, local officials may try to restrict or control your
activities, thus limiting your effectiveness.

Alternatively, if the union refuses to recognize
your committee or you simply wish to remain independent, you have the
legal right (under the LMRDA) to form a caucus without the backing or
support of the union. As a caucus, you will have greater freedom to set
your own agenda and organize aggressively. Depending upon the membership's
relationship with the union, the caucus' lack of ties to the officials
may give you greater credibility with the members. However, the lack of
financial and organizational support from the union could handicap your
organizing efforts, making it more difficult to get the word out and build
your group. It also may subject you to the open hostility of the current
union leadership. A women's caucus may be more viable in a union which
already has existing union member or dissident groups with which you could
ally yourselves.

If you wish to create a formally recognized
committee, first examine your constitution and by-laws to determine the
procedure. You may need the approval of the Executive Board. To lay the
groundwork, members of your group should make themselves known as good
trade unionists by regularly attending union meetings and, if possible,
volunteering for tasks. This will prove your seriousness and commitment
to the union.

When you feel you are ready (even two or three
committed activists may be enough), your group should draw up a proposal
stating your reasons for forming a committee and your anticipated activities.
Your arguments should stress to the leadership the benefits of granting
your request. These may include satisfying their legal obligation to undertake
affirmative action, or helping to strengthen the union. Then approach
the President or a member of the Executive Board to ask for their cooperation
in putting your proposal on the agenda of an Executive Board meeting.
You may also present such a proposal at a membership meeting. If possible,
you may want to make copies of your proposal available to members of the
Board ahead of time.

One of your members with speaking rights (apprentices
may not have the right to speak from the floor) should prepare a brief
presentation and think through questions that might be raised. If you
are acting without the support of the union leadership, be sure to have
as many supporters as possible present at the meeting. If the proposal
is turned down, you should consult outside groups to help you appeal or
apply political pressure to your union officials (See Appendix, Resources).

Maintaining Your Committee or Caucus

Once you are established, you can get down
to business. Announce your formation. Reach out and try to involve as
many women as possible. Try to hold regular meetings at a time and place
convenient for as many women as possible. If your members are in different
locations or working odd hours, you could try to alternate the location
and time of your meetings. Depending on your size, you will have to think
about developing a leadership core, or dividing up responsibilities. You
should figure out what resources you have (who has a computer, a typewriter,
etc).

There are many different activities you can
undertake, depending on your priorities and the needs of women in your
union. In addition to the ongoing exchange of experiences and emotional
support you will provide one another, you will almost certainly be called
upon to defend women who are experiencing problems in the apprenticeship
program (not getting properly trained, or threatened with termination),
with the hiring hall (not being referred to jobs), or on the job (being
sexually harassed). In such cases, you can submit letters of protest to
the appropriate union officials; secure similar letters from outside advocacy
groups; circulate petitions; or help the member file internal charges
or prepare a defense to charges filed against her.

You may develop campaigns to pressure the union
to adopt a sexual harassment policy; conduct training on sexual harassment
for members; present demands for an anti-discrimination clause or parental
leave provision in contract negotiations; or combat pornography. You can
organize orientations for new members and apprentices and sponsor education
and training workshops (with the support of outside groups).

You should continue to attend union meetings
and to speak out about women's concerns in the union. At some point you
may want to raise a problem, such as inadequate changing facilities for
female workers, at a meeting. This requires careful advance planning.
It's a good idea to have a specific, realistic proposal for correcting
the problem; maybe you will focus on one job site and ask for one enclosed
area to be set aside for women. Try to locate other members who share
your concerns and would be willing to work with you to improve the situation.
Meet with your supporters ahead of time and brainstorm about solutions.
Write out resolutions and statements. Assign speakers to address the meeting.
Rally all the support you can for your proposal ahead of time, and make
sure that people who support you turn up at the meeting.

Proposing a change in the by-laws to the membership
requires even more careful preparation. By-laws must not be in conflict
with the international constitution, and usually amendments are subject
to the approval of the national or international. Additionally, some unions
only allow by-law amendments to be submitted once a year. Generally, an
amendment proposal must be submitted at one meeting, read at the next
meeting, and then voted on at a third meeting so that members have time
to consider, debate and mobilize their forces for the vote. Check the
language of the proposed amendment very carefully to make sure it says
exactly what you want it to say, and nothing else. Check other unions
for similar provisions and see how they are written.

No matter what your issue, given your small
numbers you can increase your impact by working with male allies. You
undoubtedly have heard some members complain about lack of contract enforcement.
If you work with male co-workers on those issues that affect all workers,
such as unsafe jobs, they will be more likely to help fight for the needs
of women workers.

It will take a lot of work, patience and perseverance
to maintain a dynamic, effective women's committee or caucus. Some tips:

Set up a structure and share responsibilities.

Teach and encourage all members to become
leaders so the success or survival of the group is not dependent on
a few charismatic people.

Be democratic in all your decisions.

Try to work through differences and deal
with personality conflicts head on, so they do not become destructive.

Don't expect results too quickly.

Recognize and celebrate your successes.

Dealing With Issues
That May Divide

Tradeswomen, like all workers, come from different
walks of life. Your group will include women of different backgrounds,
races, national origins, religions, sexual orientation, ages, and political
beliefs. While it is important to unite around those issues you have in
common, it is also important to recognize and deal with differences. Women
of color should be supported in fighting discrimination based on their
race as well as on their gender. A campaign against racial discrimination
can strengthen your group and broaden its support by appealing to male
workers who face the same problem.

Similarly, straight women who are called lesbians
can find common ground with their gay co-workers. Confronting the problem
head-on by talking about how "dyke-baiting" can be used to divide
women will be more beneficial to the group than avoiding the issue. If
members of the groups recognize the strength of different points of view
and treat each other with respect, differences can unify rather than divide.

Strategic Planning

Step 1. Small Group Discussion: Get people
together at lunch, at someone's home, or a special meeting, to have an
open discussion about the problems you face. Get everyone's ideas out;
get everyone to participate.

Step 2. Selecting a Problem: You can't solve
everything at once. Pick one or a related group of problems to work on.
Two key points:

1) Start small -- pick a problem you think
you can win.

2) Use a democratic procedure.

Step 3. Selecting a Plan of Action: This may
be difficult. Again, get everyone's ideas out and decide democratically.
Some tips:

1) Build on what people are already doing.

2) Talk it through step by step.

3) Work hard for consensus; avoid coercion.

4) Talk to others who have experience with
the issue to avoid past errors.

Step 4. Carrying Out the Plan: It's important
to get as many people involved as possible. Get others to share responsibility.

Step 5. Evaluation: This may be the most important
step. You can learn by doing and then discussing what worked and what
didn't.

Use
the following credit line on the materials you use: "From the
website of the Association for Union Democracy. www.uniondemocracy.org. Email:
info@uniondemocracy.org. 104 Montgomery Street, Brooklyn, New York, 11225; USA;
718-564-1114"